United States/UK, 2002
UK Screening Date: July 12 2002
Running Length: 90mins

Cast: Albert Finney, Vanessa Redgrave, Derek Jacobi, Ronnie Barker, Tom Wilkinson, Linus Roache
Director: Richard Loncraine
Music: Howard Goodall
Distributor: BBC Films/HBO

Produced by Gladiator's Ridley Scott and with a cast to die for, this defines the phrase 'must-see TV'.

Having worked together on The Duellists in 1977, Scott reteamed with Oscar nominee Albert Finney for this drama about Winston Churchill's pre-war years and struggle to alert the British people to the threat posed by the Nazis.

Exiled from government and accused of being a warmonger, Churchill takes refuge at home and indulges in leisurely pursuits, all the while gathering intelligence about the Germans and preparing to deliver the country from the conflict he worked so tirelessly to avoid.

Vanessa Redgrave co-stars as Churchill's beloved wife Clementine and Ronnie Barker comes out of retirement to play his faithful manservant Inches.

As if that weren't reason enough to tune in, how about the added attraction of Oscar-winner Jim Broadbent, Academy Award nominee Tom Wilkinson, Linus Roache, Hugh Bonneville, Celia Imrie and Lena Headey?

Oscar-nominated Finney has had a rollercoaster career since he first burst into the public eye with kitchen sink drama Saturday Night and Sunday Morning back in 1960.

From lusty romps like Tom Jones to the highly acclaimed Erin Brockovich, he has consistently delivered the goods.

In the past few years Finney has opted for more TV work such as the Dennis Potter drama Karaoke, HE Bates romp Uncle Silas and now this epic drama. Playing Winston Churchill was evidently a challenge for one of the UK's finest actors.

"Apart from the fact that I thought the screenplay was very good, I was tempted and slightly intimidated by the idea of playing him," he remarks.

"In one way, it was quite exciting to try, and in another, it was a bit worrying because of who he was."

Ever the perfectionist, Finney put a lot of preparation into the role.

"I watched a lot of archive footage of Churchill and most of the interesting footage is later in his life, rather than the period we cover in the film.

But there was a very good documentary I found, and there was a sequence in it when he went to America to lecture, to earn money.

"He gives an interview with his American secretary and that was most valuable. Plus, there was footage of him during the war years when you see what he became. Of course, we don't have the famous speeches in the film, thank God, but one got a sense of his delivery and phrasing."

The news that Ronnie Barker was coming out of retirement for the project was just as electric as the casting of Finney and Vanessa Redgrave.

Aside from a tribute to The Two Ronnies in 1999, it's 15 years since Barker decided to call it day. He's been happily living in the Cotswolds with wife Joy, but there was always the possibility a project would be worthy enough to tempt him back into the spotlight.

"It's a very worthy film," he says simply. It also rekindled his own memories of one of Britain's finest Prime Ministers.

"I remember Churchill delivering the speeches in 1940. I was 11 and remember standing by the Andersen shelter in the house. Even then I was very impressed by them. I'm sure that he kept the whole nation together, without doubt he kept the morale up."

Barker admits it was a little daunting to be acting again after so long.

"The feeling of being on the set was very new and strange to me at first," he admits. "I was a bit nervous about doing it again, but the first day, I fitted in fine once I got there."

Nothing is certain in showbusiness but there's a good chance this will get a few Bafta nods at next spring's ceremony.

© 2002 Roger Crow